Look what I found !!

[imanit]

These pearls have wonderful wrinkly, bumpy and smooth nacre, reminding a lot of their Kasumi counterparts in skin texture..... well, maybe I exaggerate a little..... They are 11.5 -13.5 mm. Clasp is 8.3mm - so you see the difference in size!
There is just two that have "dull" patches on. Can you see the luster !!!
I really like them, so I wanted to share it with you.
Those are not your average "high quality, perfect pearls". They are in the same group as Caitlin's black clonks, and like her, I love my "biggies"....
I have to restring them, because the way how clasp is attached to the necklace is horrid : just with a knot !!

 

[Valeria101]

These look great - definitely enviable Thanks for the pics!

Any idea if they might be bead nucleated? Don't have any secret insight there - the look of the pearls hints at it, I'd think (on a totally blind hunch).

Have you tried seed pearls (2mm max) instead of knots? Saw this done on a sautoir of smallish pearls and the look was quite memorable... Just wanted to drop the note on it and your new strand seems like a great occasion

 

[pattye]

Hi Imanit!

Fabulous photos and even more fabulous pearls! I love that combo of wrinkly skin and amazing lustre!! Where did you find them? Recent purchase? I have some similar, slightly smaller pearls but with more flaws.

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

 

[imanit]

Hi Valeria - before knotting them, I wanted to try to string them with seed pearls ( I have some ). I thought about it !!
Pattye - I "hunt" eBay for things like this.
I wouldn't try to buy there ropes of Freshadamas or Tahitians, but I'm willing to risk some money on "fun" purchases. I met many good sellers, fun people to exchange emails with or to buy interesting pearls from....

 

[boo]

imanit, those are awesome! I have some that are similar (probably the same as Pattye) - they have the wonderful bumpy-smooth skin, but they smaller (10mm) and are much more dull. I didn't think I would like Kasumi pearls until I saw my "fakes" (would they count as faux fauxs?). I still can't afford any Kasumis, but at least now I think I know what folks mean when they describe the wrinkles.

 

[Caitlin]

Here is a strand from the Pearl Emporium. I LOve them. I would so love to get more!

 

[imanit]

Boo - those are nice !!! look like mine - same "wrinkles", same shape - luster - I don't know, it's hard to tell from your picture..
And Kasumi are something I drool over every time I see them..

 

[imanit]

Caitlin - how big are those ?? they seam to have a lot of "shine" !! Very similar in quality to what I bought !!

 

[Caitlin]

Hi all

They are 11mm. I do think they are similar or same as pattye's. They definately qualify as faux Kasumi's don't they! They'd be faux faux, if I copied the faux strand.

I just saw the Kasumi's. They look like they have the 22k granulated gold in a style similar to Drusy Design's kasumi types. If those are Chinese, then they are faux Kasumis. If we copy those- such as with the white ones, then they are faux, faux, huh? So, right you are boo.

 

[perlas]

hi imanit,

nice photography! i could actually see the rainbows. i do like your pearls!

hi all,

i like the crumpled look too. i found these pearls as well, they are not that crumpled and not that big (around 10-11mm but since they're not rounds, they look smaller... although they are deceiving as they look round 2 meters away when worn).

 

[perlas]

another picture...i practiced my knotting and placed a french wire on this one.

 

[perlas]

up close. hope you like it!

 

[imanit]

Big WOW to all your necklaces !!! Very nice.. I love the rainbow of colors on the last one !!!
After all, my necklace is not sooo special. None of you felt like sharing picture of yours before. Why ??? They are really nice and different !!! Everybody has those "almost round, almost perfect "white pearls.... "funkies" like ours are not on everybody's "want-list". Not everybody can see the beauty of "imperfect" pearls...... or be crazy enough to actually pay real money to have them.....
Valeria, I restrung mine with tiny seed pearls taking off 3 big pearls ( those with dull patches). I'll post a picture tomorrow ( forgot my camera at home).
I tried to look if I can determine if those pearls are bead-nucleated. No idea what I was trying to see as a "giveaway" sign of it - so I did not see anything... What should I look for to be able to know if they are nucleated ??? When I took them of the string, all of them had nice, clean drill-holes, white as deep inside as I could see....

 

[Sueki]

Funny how taste changes.
Imanit, I am one of those "Everybody has those "almost round, almost perfect "white pearls.... "
A year ago I wouldn't have looked twice at anything off-round or slightly blemished.
Since reading these boards, I now think all pearls are beautiful....
Just wish that I had enough money to buy the things on my wish list.
And I fervently wish to be able to bead and string.
Gosh, I envy you clever people your skill.
Oh, and those pearls pictured are all fabulous.

 

[Caitlin]

Hi Sam
Thanks for the view of your pearls. I love the luster and shapes. I think you have a wonderful pearl collection and would love to see more.

 

[imanit]

Hi Sam
Thanks for the view of your pearls. I love the luster and shapes. I think you have a wonderful pearl collection and would love to see more.

..............................................................................

.... trust me, at the rate I'm buying / stringing them, one day you will kick me out of this forum for polluting the site with my pictures.... I have so much fun !!!
Imagine: In March 2006 I went to China, I bought my first string of ( very expensive and very lousy, I discovered later) pearls, then only started learning about them, started loving them. wanting them, buying them..... I "blame" this forum for it !!! Shame on you !!!!

 

[Valeria101]

I tried to look if I can determine if those pearls are bead-nucleated. No idea what I was trying to see as a "giveaway" sign of it - so I did not see anything...

Yeah... forget it. Not sure what caught me! It looked like the beads are rounder than the wrinkly texture would allow if it went all the way to the core of the pearl, that is to say, if all layers of nacre were parallel with the surface. I am paranoid!!!

 

[pattye]

Hi All--

Love all the great photos! I smashed a very chalky one of my "funky pearls" today, and yes, Ana, it was nacre layers all the way down. Tomorrow I will try to take some photos. You all are inspiring me to finish setting up my craft room, and get busy with the knotting!!!

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

 

[imanit]

This is how the necklace looks now: changed clasp, added seed pearls as separators and took off 3 pears.

 

[Casey.R]

Lovely pearls everyone.

Sueki, I must be one of the few that doesn't have one of those almost white almost round strands
But I don't have lots of pearls anyway. I have about six pearl jewelry items and only two are round and white ( earrings and a necklace from pp that I wore on my wedding day ).
My latest obsession is colored freshwaters.